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northbound。〃
Toland's eyebrows went up。
〃Probably some had to abort；〃 Baker observed。 〃This is close to their fuel limit； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 replied Air/Ops。 He didn't look happy with his own answer。
〃Burn…through；〃 announced the radar operator。 〃We have reacquired the targets。〃
The Kelts had flown on； oblivious to the furor around them。 Their radar transponders made them look like hundred…ten…foot Badgers。 Their own white…noise jammers came on； somewhat obscuring them yet again on the radar scopes； and autopilot controls began to jerk them up； down； left； right； in hundred…meter leaps as an aircraft might do when trying to avoid a missile。 The Kelts had been real missiles once； but on retirement from front…line service six years earlier； their warheads had been replaced with additional fuel tankage； and they had been relegated to a role as target drones； a purpose they were serving admirably now。
〃Tallyho！〃 The first squadron of twelve Tomcats was now a hundred fifty miles away。 The Kelts showed up perfectly on radar； and the intercept officers in the back seat of each fighter quickly established target tracks。 The Kelts were approaching what would have been nominal missile…launch distance…if they were the bombers everyone thought they were。
The Tomcats launched a volley of million…dollar AIM…54C Phoenix missiles at a range of a hundred forty miles。 The missiles blazed in on their targets at Mach…5； directed by the fighters' targeting radars。 In under a minute the forty…eight missiles had killed thirty…nine targets。 The first squadron broke clear as the second came into launch position。
USS NIMITZ
〃Admiral； something is wrong here；〃 Toland said quietly。
〃What might that be？〃 Baker liked the way things were going。 Enemy bomber tracks were being wiped off his screen just as the war games had predicted they would。
〃The Russians are ing in dumb； sir。〃
〃So？〃
〃So this far the Soviets have not been very dumb！ Admiral； why aren't the Backfires going supersonic？ Why one attack group？ Why one direction？〃
〃Fuel constraints；〃 Baker answered。 〃The Badgers are at the limit of their fuel； they have to e in direct。〃
〃But not the Backfires！〃
〃The course is right； the raid count is right。〃 Baker shook his head and concentrated on the tactical plot。
The second squadron of fighters had just launched。 Unable to get a head…on shot； their missile accuracy suffered somewhat。 They killed thirty…four targets with forty…eight missiles。 There had been a hundred fifty…seven targets plotted。
The third and fourth Tomcat squadrons arrived together and launched as a group。 When their Phoenixes had been fully expended； nineteen targets were left。 The two fighter squadrons moved in to engage the remaining targets with their cannon。
〃Clipper Base； this is SAM Boss。 We're going to have some leakers。 Remend we start lighting up SAM radars。〃
〃Roger； SAM Boss。 Permission granted；〃 answered the group tactical warfare coordinator。
NORTH ATLANTIC
〃I have air…search radars； bearing zero…three…seven；〃 the Bear ESM officer noted。 〃They have detected us。 Remend we illuminate also。〃 The Bear lit off its Big Bulge look…down radar。
USS NIMITZ
〃New radar contact。 Designate Raid…2…〃
〃What？〃 snapped Baker。 Next came a call from the fighters。
〃Clipper Base； this is Slugger Lead。 I have a visual on my target。〃 The squadron mander was trying to examine the target on his long…range TV camera。 When he spoke； the anguish in his voice was manifest。 〃Warning； warning； this is not a Badger。 We've been shooting at Kelt missiles！〃
〃Raid…2 is seventy…three aircraft； bearing two…one…seven； range one…three…zero miles。 We have a Big Bulge radar tracking the formation；〃 said the CIC talker。
Toland cringed as the new contacts were plotted。 〃Admiral； we've been had。〃
The group tactical warfare officer was pale as he toggled his microphone。 〃Air Warning Red。 Weapons free！ Threat axis is two…one…seven。 All ships turn as necessary to unmask batteries。〃
The Tomcats had all been drawn off； leaving the formation practically naked。 The only armed fighters over the formation were Foch's eight Crusaders； long since retired from the American inventory。 On a terse mand from their carrier； they went to afterburner and rocketed southwest toward the Backfires。 Too late。
The Bear already had a clear picture of the American formations。 The Russians could not determine ship type； but they could tell large from small； and identify the missile cruiser Ticonderoga by her distinctive radar emissions。 The carriers would be close to her。 The Bear relayed the information to her consorts。 A minute later； the seventy Backfire bombers launched their hundred forty AS…6 Kingfish missiles and turned north at full military power。 The Kingfish was nothing like the Kelt。 Powered by a liquid…fuel rocket engine； it accelerated to nine hundred knots and began its descent； its radar…homing head tracking on a preprogrammed target area ten miles wide。 Every ship in the center of the formation had several missiles assigned。
〃Vampire； Vampire！〃 the CIC talker said aboard Ticonderoga。 〃We have numerous ining missiles。 Weapons free。〃
The group antiair warfare officer ordered the cruiser's Aegis weapons system into full automatic mode。 Tico had been built with this exact situation in mind。 Her powerful radar/puter system immediately identified the ining missiles as hostile and assigned each a priority of destruction。 The puter was pletely on its own； free to fire on its electronic will at anything diagnosed as a threat。 Numbers； symbols； and vectors paraded across the master tactical display。 The fore and aft twin missile launchers trained out at the first targets and awaited the orders to fire。 Aegis was state…of…the…art； the best SAM system yet devised； but it had one major weakness： Tico carried only ninety…six SM2 surface…to…air missiles； there were one hundred forty ining Kingfish。 The puter had not been programmed to think about that。
Aboard Nimitz； Toland could feel the carrier heeling into a radical turn； her engines advanced to flank speed； driving the massive warship at over thirty…five knots。 Her nuclear…powered escorts； Virginia and California； were also tracking the Kingfish； their own missiles trained out on their launchers。
The Kingfish were at eight thousand feet； one hundred miles out； covering a mile every four seconds。 Each had now selected a target； choosing the largest within their fields of view。 Nimitz was the nearest large ship； with her missile…ship escorts to her north。
Tico launched her first quartet of missiles as the targets reached a range of ninety…nine miles。 The rockets exploded into the air； leaving a trail of pale gray smoke。 They had barely cleared the launch rails when the mounts went vertical and swiveled to receive their reloads。 The load…and…fire time was under eight seconds。 The cruiser would average one missile fired every two seconds。 Just over three minutes later； her missile magazines were empty。 The cruiser emerged from the base of an enormous gray arch of smoke。 Her only remaining defenses were her gun systems。
The SAMs raced in at their targets with a closing speed of over two thousand miles per hour； directed in by the reflected waves of the shi